The Force Unleashed: The Empire's Cavalry
by Fat With Fuzz
Summary: Part of being a sith involves the practice of Sith Alchemy. A sith is required to create a mountable companion for himself. Galen Marek has a guarlara companion. These are his adventures.
1. Chapter 1

"The emperor is sending his troops to Kashyyk to reinforce a base there. Make sure that no witnesses are left alive. Leave it as if they were never there. Go, my apprentice, and do not fail me," the dark lord instructed the young man before him who knelt respectfully. The dark lord pointed to him and made a dismissing gesture before he drooped and his image etched away to reveal a droid with the profile of a simplified human skeleton. The droid drifted forward and the young man arose and caught him, pushing the droid back to his feet.

"Ahh, master. It looks like it is time to saddle Ferine. Don't let him kill you before I do," the droid said in a chipper tone.

The young man smiled softly and turned away, the droid followed after him as he walked to his ship. "Ahh, I won't let him, Proxy. Don't worry. I'm all yours," the apprentice reassured the anxious droid as the massive doors to Vader's viewing bridge parted. The apprentice passed through them and turned to his right.

Ferine(Feerayne): A name to be dreaded by all, even the young apprentice himself to a degree. Not as much as an individual or group who never handled or confronted the beast. Ferine was part of the empire's Cavalry.

The sith and dark jedi practiced the art of their alchemy in perverting the virgin natures of living beasts. Each sith had to conjure an acrid nature to corrupt the innocent nature of an animal. What they desired was put into thought then manifested through the perversion of the creature. The sith could not create a beast from scratch. They could only take what already existed and pervert it. The whole point of this process was to aggrandize the development of being a sith. The sith were heavily prodded with the faith to make their mount as caustic and as wicked as possible. Sometimes the animals were worse than their master's in nature. With this animal that had the potential to kill its very own creator, the sith had to learn how to keep it under control. The beast did retain some of its original specie's behaviors and mannerisms. The animals, as a final product of sith alchemy, were known as sith spawns.

Guarlara were the favored choice of the sith. They were smart, witty, and quick learners, naturally seeking to have a leader. Guarlara were also fight or flight beings. The perfect animals to be fueled by fear. The sith were strictly favorable of stallions. Stallions were more hubristic than the mares. Also, they were more showily in presentation and profile when being ridden. Stallions were always pulling impulses from their instincts which benefited to the first and lasting impressions of their riders.

Customized tack for the mount was completely up to his owner. The sith had to hand make their tack. It was an additionally laborious process next to creating a lightsaber from scratch. The next task after that was to introduce the corrupted beast to its new dressage. The whole experience of this was long and hard, but in the end it conditioned the sith and their mounts to appreciate the other more.

The dark lord, Darth Vader, had his own mount, the emperor, and the young apprentice, Galen. Although Galen's mount was non-existent as far as the emperor and his army was concerned. Galen had secretly received his mount about 6 and a half years ago when it was still a foal. He had not been taught in the art of sith alchemy. Vader deprived him of the practice intentionally. Ferine was an adult stallion now and he was 17 hands tall. He was completely pitch black, sculpted, and surging with hormones since he was not a castrated guarlara. The stallion's temperament was ruthlessly vindictive, even, at times, toward his rider.

His horns were allowed and encouraged to grow out to a very fine point. The guarlara horns were the length of Galen's arms, bowing out very shallowly near the base where they hovered in the air after coming back in farther up from the base. Galen had had his fair share of practically being run through by them on more than one occasion. One of which he did get pierced by one of the guarlara horns.

His mount was injured from a recent mission and very cross with anyone outside of Galen's temperament with his state. Vader had aggravated the stallion by disciplining him with a saber whip intentionally into one of his wounds. The stallion was infuriated, despite his pain. He charged Vader, overpowering his handler without rue. Galen's voice commands were no use to stop the mad animal so the young apprentice jumped in front of his master before his master could harm the animal any further, ending the ordeal by receiving a puncture wound in his left rib cage, involuntarily. Galen used the force to knock his mount off his own feet to keep him under control. Vader never seemed to display any appreciation, approval or disapproval about Galen's sacrifice and his faithfulness to him. Galen recovered completely, never holding his mount responsible for his outburst. He was naturally more compassionate towards his mount than Vader was to his own. The guarlara loved their riders and hated each other. Fights were not unheard of. It was very difficult to break up the animals. After all, they were sith spawns to a certain degree in nature.

The young apprentice emerged into the docking bay to lay his eyes upon his ship: The Rogue Shadow: his personal space chariot to transport him and his mount to wherever he needed to be. A beautiful female officer stood outside the ship's entry ramp curiously looking about. She spotted him, looking at him expectantly for orders.

"Get the ship ready, Juno," he told her, passing his ship.

The female officer, with her light blonde hair draping down by her temples dipped her head comprehensibly, departing up the ramp of the rogue shadow. The droid followed his master down another corridor to a secluded location that was only accessible through the use of the force to raise a massive blast door. Galen stopped before it and sighed, composing himself by closing his eyes. He put himself into a lunging position. He lowered his hands, palms up, at his waist. With a soft grunt he slowly raised his hands. The door obeyed his request for it to rise by the force. It rose at short intervals until Galen gathered enough energy to slam it into the ceiling. The apprentice stood upright with a soft, relieved sigh, strolling into the room that belonged to his mount.

"You've improved, master," Proxy praised him.

"I've done better before," the apprentice criticized himself as he paused in the center of the room to gaze into his mount's large stall secured with a chrome metal door. A trough of food pellets rested against the back of the stall wall. Straw littered the floor densely. The guarlara stallion was not to be seen, except his long, deadly horns, sticking up past the door. Galen curiously approached the stall, clicking his tongue.

A soft grunt and shuffling of feet later, the stallion arose to his feet, delightedly whirling around to face his master.

Galen fearlessly walked up to his mount that blew in his face fondly."Feer, what were you doing on the floor? That's unusual for you."

The beast burred at him. The stallion's very long tail was wrapped up against the walls of his stall, curled in on its self a ways from being so long.

"Master, I believe he felt safe enough to do so for a time," Proxy educated his master.

"C'mon, Feer, we've got a mission to do." The young man departed.

Proxy retrieved the mount's saddle and breast collar. Galen returned to the stall door of his mount to be nipped at by him. The young man stopped where he was and eyed the stallion sternly. The last thing he wanted was to be torn open by one of the stallion's long tusks that protruded from each side of his mouth. The guarlara nickered inquiringly at the apprentice, teasing him for his cautions.

"Feer, do I have to shock you again?" the young apprentice quizzed his mount in a stern tone.

The guarlara stallion nickered generously, bobbing his head.

Galen sighed. "You were supposed to imply that you mean no. Why do you have to be so difficult?" Galen lowered the bridle he held in his hands. He lifted his right hand using the force to unfasten the lock to the mount's stall door. The stallion routinely pushed his way out and trotted away from the young apprentice to the far end of the room, his long tail trailing behind him.

Galen approached his mount, using the force to put the beast in a state of quiescence while he put the bridle on the animal's face. After it was fastened he moved onto the saddle and the breast collar. The bridle was in usable condition except for a few deep gashes and scratches in the connecting leather. The bridle had no nose band, but it had an arched brow band that rested under the stallion's long forelock that persisted to come down past his nose. A fish net extension of the bridle made up of leather and crystal rings, enclosed the stallion's neck all the way down to his breast.

The reins were wrapped in stained white cloth that was torn and tattered. Neatly wrapped could not be said for it. White cloth draped loosely from the reins all the way down to the location for the bit, which, for Galen's mount, was bitless. After he saw how severely he was supposed to treat his mount he trained Ferine to respond without the need for a bit. It was not an easy task since the animal was created with a sith-based nature. The animal could only be controlled by a very cruel version of a bit, which was a screw bit.

The screw bit was like a plain bit, but in the center of the bit was a screw shaped extension that came to a sharp point. If the guarlara was resistant to his rider's hand the rider could sharply pull the animal in the direction he wanted to go. The rider could also compose his mount by driving the bit into the roof of his mouth by sharply pulling back on the reins. It was very painful, but effective to keep authority over an animal that was otherwise uncontrollable by humane means.

With tusks coming from the guarlara's mouth, Galen thought it uncomfortable for his mount to have a bit in his mouth. There was a natural space in between front teeth and the molars, but in place of that space the tusks grew out. Galen had figured out that his particular mount would not respond to any commands, regardless of where they came from if he was nervous, uncomfortable, or in extreme pain so he went bitless. Since the lack of a bit Ferine's temperament and attitude on the battlefield had greatly increased. It was all that he needed to keep order with his companion to pull off his missions with success. Ferine's unique abilities ruled out any type of metals period.

The young apprentice fastened the black breast collar to his black saddle that rested on top of a black torn saddle blanket. The thick, black breast collar that fit the curvature of Ferine's chest had a central pendant in the shape of a smoothly edged circle composed out of a Qixoni crystal. The crystal was rather circular, very shallow in depth, and large when Galen had found it on a destroyed gunship while exploring an unknown planet to obtain an amplifier for his mount's unusual potential. With great care and skill he smoothed out its edges, making it the center point of his mount's breast collar. He used the rest of it for his mount's personalized tack.

The breast collar itself was leather as it came from the centerpiece, ending at the round edge of a fist-sized ring made out of the crystal, then continuing into leather once more, connecting to the saddle with very sturdy leather. All three straps of the breast collar expressed this composition. Galen noticed immediately that his mount was more alert, lethal, and could sense nearby enemies sometimes before he could. The young apprentice used part of the crystal to blend it with his current light saber crystal, enhancing his force powers.

Once he selected Ferine as a foal his connection with it enabled him to tame and train the impossible sith spawn quicker. He formed a close bond with the animal very early in its life. The red crystal enabled him to control his mount while he rode him and when he dismounted him. Ferine benefited from the crystal as well in very unique ways.

If Galen was supposed to be present before the emperor and seen by the stormtroopers he would have a cleaner appearance and so would his mount. He did not, however. It didn't really matter. His raffish appearance seemed to add more fear to his victims when they saw him mounted on his great guarlara stallion. He had no order to the people he would kill. His appearance and ruthlessness proved that. The good thing in his case was that no witnesses were left alive to tell of his profile so they could fight back when he appeared again.

Galen checked his mount over, eyeballing for any lameness that he could be exhibiting. Once he was satisfied he went to the stallion's head to gather the reins. Proxy began to walk out of the room.

"Proxy?"

The droid turned around to face his master. "I believe I will warn Juno of your approach. The incident of her being bit was...quite unfortunate."

Ferine pushed against Galen with anticipation. The young apprentice reached up with the hand that contained the reins and rubbed the stallion's nose. "Not yet, Feer. We'll give him a second," the young apprentice calmed his mount in a soft tone.

The guarlara blew out of his nose obediently, but not fondly of the idea. He wanted to leave now. He wanted to get out on the field and fight. It was in his nature. Galen understood this, but he had to keep it under control unless he wanted to be met on the receiving end of it from complacency.


	2. Chapter 2

"Is he on his way?" came the female pilot's accented voice as she pressed buttons, routinely, in the cockpit as the droid came into the space.

"Yes, he is. He'll be bringing his mount on this mission. I thought I would warn you to stay where you are."

"Perfect! Thank you. I would not want what happened last time to repeat again," she said appreciatively.

Galen led his mount down the corridor and up a flight of steps to the docking bay. The stallion tossed his head eagerly upon seeing the Rogue Shadow.

"Easy," Galen said in a low voice, aware that his stallion could possibly run over him at any moment.

The stallion snorted. His long tail drug on the slick, cool floor slightly swaying whenever he composed a burst of excitement. A few minutes later Galen entered the cockpit and sat down in the passenger seat next to Juno and sighed.

"So, where are you off to?" Juno glanced at him after she punched a few buttons on the console.

"Kashyyk." The apprentice sighed folding his conditioned arms. "There's an imperial base down there that Vader wants me to neutralize," he finished looking away.

Juno looked to the console and began to type in the coordinates.

"Is something bothering you?"

Juno turned in surprise to see the young apprentice looking at her. "Oh, um...no-I...how?"

"I can sense your feelings no matter how deeply you bury them."

The young woman sighed, rather disturbed at his words. She was stuck on a ship with him for godsakes!" She drew her eyes to the console. "The planet is completely controlled by the empire. I don't like it at all."

The ship pulled out of the docking bay, speeding away from Vader's flagship.

"Prepare to enter hyperspace," Juno announced pulling down on a lever in the center of the console. The stars before the ship turned into streaks as the ship accelerated into the deep space.

"Juno, I'll be fine. Ferine and me can handle ourselves well," Galen reassured the concerned pilot. He stared into the blue swirling vortex of hyperspace the ship was now passing through.

Juno gave a dismissing scoff. "That's what you said on the last major mission and your mount was nearly killed."

The young apprentice sighed fully aware that she was right.

"I didn't think I could get you two out of there in time. Going in at night would give you better cover," Juno commented.

Galen looked away in thought. It would be better. The moon on Kashyyk was known to be huge and bright. He would still be able to see fairly well. Ferine would have great cover to be hidden during the times he wouldn't be needed.

Juno retracted the ship out of hyperspace to be met by the green, densely forested planet of Kashyyk. They entered the atmosphere, cautiously, with the cloaking device activated, landing in a conveniently cleared area. Galen stood from his chair and departed out the back of the cockpit.

"Be careful," Juno wished him. "I trust you to know what you're doing."

The apprentice led his mount down the ramp of the rogue shadow into the overgrowth. The feral beast eagerly tromped the high vegetation that licked at his feathered ankles, following after his rider. The rogue shadow arose and was gone. Fortunately, for the apprentice, it was dusk. Now all he had to do was find the base and kill all of its occupants without a trace. He made camp by a small stream until complete nightfall. He scouted the area to make sure nothing would disturb him and give away his position. While he did so, his mount drank greedily from the cool waters, lifting his head anxiously when his rider returned out of the trees before him. Water dripped from his long mustache that draped down from beneath his chin. Exotic animals whooped and howled throughout the canopies of the great forests. Their cries carried acoustically into the air

"Don't worry. We'll be on the move again in a bit," Galen said as he walked up to his mount's head.

The guarlara carefully nuzzled his rider out of the way of his horns and tusks, knowing he could trust the tone in his words. Galen straightened the stallion's thick forelock, patting the stallion's arched snout. He clicked his tongue, gathering the reins, leading his mount into the forest. The stallion alertly followed, sensitive to the apprentice's emotions, movements, and his scent. He could tell whenever Galen was fearful or frightened, and in dread of something. His scent would change and emit a fear-based scent. It wasn't very often his scent changed, but there was the very slightest hint of its existence due to his association with the dark side.

The two trudged on through the vegetation for some time until Ferine balked. The stallion blew heavily out of his nose. Galen turned to his mount expectantly. The stallion stood dead still, his blue eyes piercing through the dark vegetation that was slightly aglow with the moonlight of the cool night. His nostrils flared ever so slightly as his head bobbed shallowly to inhale the air. The apprentice crouched down and disappeared ahead.

As he progressed the sound of whirring machinery reached his ears and vibrated in the air around him. Bright lights came into view ahead of him and he paused at the very edge of the vegetation that surrounded him to finally discover the base that he had been assigned to wipe out. A mass of stormtroopers patrolled the wide-open space in squads, lines, and ordered formations. Some stood at entry doors that remained closed while others casually stood around and talked with expressive gestures depicting individual personalities despite the unified appearance of their white armor and helmets. A massive one-story building was their abode. Galen internally planned his attack, backing back into the darkness of the forest. Strangely, there were no additional vehicles such as chicken walkers or machine blasters.

"Hey, what's that?" A stormtrooper that was close to the forest line set his rifle. It whirred.

Galen instinctively stopped dead where he was. The stormtrooper did not approach his position. He glanced to his right and gasped. Ferine curiously inspected a sleeping trooper that had isolated himself away from the others as not to get caught. It was back near the vegetation in the cover of darkness. Ferine, being all black, seemed to look like a strange animal that was unrecognizable. The moonlight gave him soft highlights on his dark coat. He had some form to his svelte figure. The young apprentice sighed in aggravation. He was very curious how Ferine had caught up to his position so fast since he left him behind about 100 yards in the thick vegetation. The stallion never ceased to surprise him.

"I told you to stay put!" he hissed. He now had to improvise based off of this new situation. He skulked back into the vegetation and vanished.

Four stormtroopers approached the curious beast that towered over them at 17 hands. The mount's bridle and saddle glinted in the moonlight. He let out a low, weary nicker, sidling to face the approaching foes. They came to a cautious slow, cocking their rifles.

"What kind of an animal is that?" asked one.

"Don't know. It looks like one of the emperor's cavalry beasts," another one replied. "Don't get too close. These things can get really nasty."

"What's it doing out here without a rider?" A stormtrooper shrewdly observed.

"Good eye, it does have a saddle. Get the Serene squad in here to tranq the animal," a stormtrooper sent in through his comlink.

The sleeping stormtrooper that lay on a series of boxes stirred. Fear instilled him. This great black thing was in front of him. The stallion snorted in displeasure as the trooper's hands made contact with his hindquarters. He bucked and knocked the man int o the brush behind him. The four stormtroopers before him sited him as he offensively pawed the earth and lowered his head. His bold white horns that were clear in the moonlight glistened with each nod of his head. It was a very minor offense, but the stallion decided he was dissatisfied with letting it go.

"It's going to charge," one trooper nervously voiced. "We need to give it space."

Blood gurgling cries came from the other side of the massive building.

"Intruder! Intruder he's ahh-"

"Go, sustain him! The animal is not a priority!" shouted the stormtrooper farthest from the angered guarlara. The group turned away and broke into a run.

Their boots on the soft earth were synced with greater and heavier beats that gained on them. The troopers were all launched forward as the black guarlara plowed into them. He dipped his head and launched the stormtroopers that sprawled defenselessly on the ground before him. They were goaded and crushed. One fought back and grabbed his long white horns. The stallion nickered crossly at such boldness towards him. The wrestling period was very short. The stormtrooper flying flailed into more that were coming to contain him. The stallion pawed the air and whinnied, excited and powered by the adrenaline that surged through his body. The familiar sound of a light saber making contact with bodies reached his ears and he felt more secure knowing his rider was close by. He planted himself on the ground, charging a squad of stormtroopers that had their guns aimed at him.

The whole base was in chaos. Stormtroopers ran about rapidly with their rifles aimed and ready only to be launched away with a great wave of the force by a young man who had appeared out nowhere. The young man was quickly surrounded by a mass array of stormtroopers. He was not surprised at how many of them had suddenly formed.

The guarlara stallion saw his master in the midst of at least 60 stormtroopers. He could see their guns aimed at him. A stormtrooper grabbed the gaurlara's reins while he was distracted. The stallion reared lifting the stormtrooper off of the ground. The stormtrooper wearily cried out before the stallion drove the stormtrooper into the ground, impaling him. The stormtrooper let out a scream of pain. Through an area where the armor broke for the movement of his upper leg, blood flowed like a fountain. The inside of the stormtrooper's left groin, where the main artery ran, was punctured. After a few more rough butts, the stallion sidled over to a new group of stormtroopers.

The young apprentice was quick to act at hearing the gunfire. He slightly knelt, gathering his energy. A clear sphere of the force ripped from his being followed by a depleting scream, sending all the stormtroopers around him flying in all directions, including the very stormtroopers that were away from him by 100 feet. He dropped to the ground in a daze. He stayed on his hands and knees to compose himself. He couldn't for long though. More stormtroopers could be on their way. He didn't know how much time had passed before he heard multiple footsteps approaching him from his front side. He activated his lightsaber. He flew up, lightsaber cocked behind him.

"Ferine!" The beast walked up to him and inspected him caringly. The young apprentice deactivated his lightsaber. He glanced about and his mount nuzzled him making pleased noises to find he was all right. Countless plastoid bodies littered the soft earth floor. The lights inside the base flickered and shot sparks. Galen was skeptical about how big the shock wave he had emitted was. It was powerful enough to spread halfway into the massive building; even covering the large open area he stood in now. His stallion nickered inquiringly at him until he became conscious of it.

"What, Feer?" the young man asked, softly. He looked at Ferine.

The stallion's nostrils flared and he inspected the young apprentice once more. Galen's scent was emitting a fear-inspired aroma for some reason. He sensed Galen had released a large amount of energy because he had had a sudden pang of fear but, for what? Neither he nor the man feared death or helplessness. The young apprentice could see his mount was concerned. He sighed tiredly and placed his tense hands on his mount's snout.

"We need to make sure all of these stormtroopers are dead before we leave." The apprentice walked past his mount casually.

The stallion quickly turned around and followed after Galen faithfully. He stayed alert for any signs of life that a stormtrooper might still be clinging to. They passed the stormtrooper he had mauled whose armor was now stained with blood from his inner thigh. The stormtrooper was surely dead. The blood was dark. Arterial it was. Galen shook his head as he walked past the dead stormtrooper.

"Feer, you've out did yourself this time," he complimented the stallion who fondly burred at the praise from his rider.

The Fear Scent still floated off of Galen's being as they thoroughly scanned the base for any survivors. Ferine noticed that Galen was physically exhausted, despite how solidly he managed to carry himself as he walked and hopped over large obstacles effortlessly by the force. Once the two traveled back to the dense forest, Galen mounted Ferine holding out his hands towards a cluster of explosive barrels. He closed his eyes. Ferine watched as the barrels made their way telekinetically across the yard of the base and accelerate into a main generator. The explosion was surprisingly more intense than the apprentice had expected. Nonetheless, the man nearly blinked in his surprise, but never did he duck or dislike the loud noise.

He swiftly turned Ferine away and sent him running into the forest as the night sky lit up with flames and rocking thunder.


	3. Chapter 3

"My master, the base has been destroyed. No survivors were left alive." The dark lord stood over him, staring down upon him. He was always enduring the glare that saturated him as he knelt.

"Good. Is Ferine in his prime?" Vader unexpectedly asked with no hint of emotion in his deep, synthetic voice.

The young apprentice opened his eyes at his master's inquiry. "Yes." He suspected Vader could sense his feelings that he tried so hard to hide from him. He wished he could suffer alone without the risk of being chastised or doubted. No, his mind was not his own. He didn't know anything, besides Proxy and Ferine, which was "his".

"You are at liberty to do as you wish until I summon you," his master dismissed him.

Galen slowly arose to see Vader's image etch away and Proxy appear in his place in his last exact pose. He slightly fell forward to be caught by the young apprentice who helped him to stand upright.

"Uggh. He's never here," the droid said in irritancy.

"I know," Galen said softly turning away. No, the apprentice had never seen the dark lord in person. Not since he was a youngling. He wondered if the monster even existed in the flesh.

"Master? What will you do now?"

Galen headed out of the small quarters of his ship to the cockpit where Juno sat casually, observing the swirling blue vortex of hyperspace. Galen sat down in his chair and sighed, leaning his head back against his seat.

"I'm tired," he said, "and free to go wherever."

Juno turned to him in her seat. Proxy sat down in a seat behind the two, plucking at the keys of a computer nearby.

"Maybe, the Jedi Temple on Coruscant?" Juno suggested giving his thoughts a jump-start.

Galen furrowed his brow and leaned forward. "Um, no. Uh…let's go to planet Felucia. I saw some evidence of a Stormtrooper base there. I thought I sensed another jedi presence there as well. Just a hunch," he said leaning back again with a soft shrug.

"Felucia it is then."

"Vader asked me about Ferine." Galen crossed his conditioned arms, staring into the vast blue vortex. He scoffed softly closing his eyes. "I don't see why he cares."

"I would be wrong if I said he just might care," Juno engaged.

"We both would be," Galen acceded with a slight smile partially glancing over at her.

"Well, then let's agree not to," the pilot laughed.

"Agreed," Proxy interjected.

Juno lowered the Rogue Shadow into a man-made clearing. Galen used the hyperspace travel to rest, sparingly until he arrived. He had to recover his energy. If there was another jedi hiding out on the planet he could not afford to be sluggish.

The young apprentice and his mount departed down the ramp onto the dark, almost black soil of the Felucia planet. Tiny spores of fungi floated about in the air around them. Strange coos and calls whooped and echoed in the endless landscape. Giant toadstools hovered above the apprentice, fluorescent with bright, vibrant colors of pink, blue, purple, and turquoise. Smaller grass-like fungi reined over the soil every little bit. The skeletal remains of aggrandized beasts prodded the topsoil, curving up into the air the height of two men and greater.

"Circle around and wait for my signal, Juno. Stay out of sight," the apprentice habitually told his pilot. He saw Juno off before he consulted the landscape.

"Copy that."

Ferine's nostrils flared excitedly as he inhaled the scents of other beasts that roamed the surface of the planet. He picked up the stale scents of stormtroopers as well. Galen looked about him. He clenched his mount's reins securely in his hard hands. The essence of the planet seemed perverted. The atmosphere was dreadful and dark. It was partially because he had attempted to kill Shaak Tii. He would have killed her, but she did not give him the chance to when she allowed herself to fall backwards into the mouth of the Great Abyss. Her spirit had torn from her body in a bright flash of great light.

'Poor boy. The sith always betray one another, but I'm sure you'll learn that soon enough.' Her last words to him before she perished. Perhaps, she hoped to spare him the task of slaying her himself. She didn't want him to do such a thing at that time. She took pity on him for his supposed deception with the dark side and emended his mission. He still wasn't convinced entirely that what she said was true, but he still questioned why she threw herself in the jaws of the tenacious plant and why he had considered hopping after her even to the slightest degree. As a jedi she kept the peace and tranquility of the planet and its people. Even the animals, regardless of their feral behavior towards him, were otherwise peaceful.

Ferine could feel the atmosphere surging with the dark side of the force. He neighed anxiously, pawing the moist earth under him. The young apprentice snapped out of his pondering and turned to his mount.

"Feer, don't start this with me," he warned the beast in a hard tone. The bright blue eyes of the guarlara seemed non-threatening due to their cool color, but they were not. Ferine's very name expressed his inborn nature and personality as a sith spawn.

A defiant snort was expressed. Galen recoiled as the stallion reared, partially. He batted at the young apprentice with his clawed feet. Galen dodged the daring move. If the stallion were to make contact with his body it would not end well. He knew well not to allow the stallion to touch him with his feet. He threw out his left hand, blowing a man-sized funnel of the force at his mount with a cross growl. He released the reins instantly.

The guarlara stallion squealed in surprise. His feet peeled up from where he stood. He struck a dirt mound and rolled down it 24 feet away. His thick, black breast collar secured the light saddle around his girth. The young apprentice slowly walked over to his mount while he picked himself off of the ground, agilely. The guarlara shook his voluminous mane in satisfaction. He trotted away from the apprentice's direction of approach, circling to his left. His long tail draped behind him as he carried it. Galen stopped and watched him irritably. The stallion didn't take umbrage. That was a good sign at this current time for the young man.

"Is that what you wanted me to do? Why do you always have to do this when I have free time?" the apprentice demanded with refulgent animation in his hands and body language. He watched the stallion prance around him. The stirrups of the simple saddle beat against his sides. "It's like you know."

The stallion's temerity was enough to drive him insane and when he decided to bare it at Galen. It was dreadfully raffish.

The stallion's body language was erect, bouncy, and jerky. It was familiar to Galen, but not with an intro that the stallion just had. The reins draped freely below the stallion's jaws. Ferine suddenly balked and whipped around going in the opposite direction. He tossed his head with an urgent whinny. He broke into a canter, pounding the earth with his forefeet. Spider webs of force lightning cascaded along the ground from them with individual circumferences from each foot of about 6 feet in diameter. The stallion's forelegs swarmed with force lightning even residing in his heavy feather that flowed with his gate. It arched and slivered about his front legs. The stallion was showily displaying his unique ability. All the more reason why the man did not want to be touched by the beast's feet. Electricity was stored in the feather about his legs even when he didn't try to emit it from his feet at will. The stallion knew this. It was fun to test Galen.

"Oh. So you want to play. I see you've learned something new that you want to show me? You have an exclusive way of showing it," Galen let his mount know in a sincerely resentful tone.

The stallion nickered and balked. He thrust both front feet down onto the soil in unison. Force lightning spilled over the stallion's clawed feet with a bright flash. It crawled up into the plant life around it. It was what he had wanted to do the whole time and Galen thought he was just being difficult. Which he was, and, then, again, at the same time he wasn't. He wanted to play, right now! Play fight in other words.

The launch Galen had given him was slightly more forceful than usual, only out of displeasure. He didn't mind. It was surprising at how quickly he decided to discipline him this time round. Not that he was complacent. Ferine was trained well enough to stop and calm himself by the tone in Galen's voice. Instead, the young apprentice just sent him flying out of nowhere. So much fun this fight would be! Especially, since the apprentice was vexed by his belligerent behavior.

The apprentice retrieved his light saber getting in his preferred stance: his light saber cocked inward behind him with a reversed grip. The red blade heated his backside as the fight ahead chilled him. Frankly, he'd rather fight Vader than his mount. The beast was always vindictive, forceful, and showed no mercy. Well…maybe fighting Vader wouldn't have been any different. Proxy seemed more pleasant than Ferine and the droid had been primarily programmed to assassinate him without rue!

The stallion's nostrils flared. Clawed feet pawed the soil and head bouncing was exhibited. His white horns taunted the young apprentice, prodding into his memory and emotions. Galen couldn't help, but remember being run through with them just recently. He disposed of the thought for it would only distract him from his fight…play fight. He got in a defensive stance rather than an offensive one.


	4. Chapter 4

The young apprentice darted to his left upon the opening charge of the beast. The stallion altered his path in the direction that the apprentice had shifted to as a dog would herd livestock. Galen had paused before a strange yellowish green plant. The stallion picked up his speed. It was mad, right at his own master. The apprentice punctured the plant with his light saber, dashing out of the way before the stallion came to a hard stop on the soft soil. A green gas spewed out of the simmering hole, right into the face of the stallion. A displeased squeal echoed on the air. The guarlara's eyes burned and he blindly ran away from the plant that blew up shortly after, spraying the area with its internal toxic fumes.

As the stallion ran he sharpened his senses to pick up the familiar sounds of his master. He heard nothing. He skipped to a stop and rested. Time passed and his eyes ceased to burn. He gave an inquiring whinny, pricking his ears; nostril's quivering to pick up a familiar scent. There was no answer or even trash talk. A sinister nicker came from his throat when he caught wind of Galen's scent coming from a top a towering blue toadstool to the east. He dropped his head, charging at the stalk at full pelt.

His forelegs began to ripple with force lightning. His black feather flowed freely, discharging the electricity into the soft earth with each tread of his feet. The red pendant against his breast came to life with a vibrant, haunting, red glow. He goaded the toadstool with his sharp horns, puncturing its fleshy skin. The force lightning ejected through his horns and into the stalk of the giant mushroom. The energy exploded up the stalk into the head of the mushroom, frying the stalk of the unfortunate fungal growth.

A soft grunt came from a top it. A figure somersaulted down from it, trailed by stray lightning that was being absorbed with its red lightsaber. It landed behind the stallion that was now trying to retract his horns from the stalk.

"Nice try, Feer," was its snide output.

The guarlara whipped around with a heated snort. His master was before him now, standing with a soft grin. Perhaps he had gotten over his sudden outburst of disobedience. The stallion suspiciously eyed his rider, snorting doubtfully all the while. The apprentice gave a ridicule expression of hurt. The stallion pricked his ears at his master.

"Aww, Feer, I thought you had faith in me!" He dashed forward. The dark mount shallowly leaped forward in a rear, long white horns bared that protruded out of his skull. The young apprentice saw them. He balked in his trajectory. He judged a miscalculation before he hurled himself to his left, out of the way of his mount's attempt to goad him. He deactivated his lightsaber, rolling over in the air. He caught himself on the ground away from his mount. He placed it back on his belt. It had no use in this fight now.

The guarlara cantered a ways and turned around to him. His great muscles propelled him into a charge. The young apprentice was quick to act emending his shy by twisting around. He performed effort- filled swings with both hands. Each swing imitated a gutsy throw of a Frisbee. Sharp, sheering scythes of the force spliced through the air, conceived from his fists, cutting through the stalk forcefully.

The head of the mushroom groaned and tilted towards him, ripping from its spongy stalk. It was weakened by the force lighting from his mount. It fell as if in slow motion. The apprentice fled. The beast ran right under the falling head of the mushroom as it struck the soft soil. Soil aspersed over the

surrounding fungi.

The young apprentice came to a controlled stop, whirling around to see the remnants of his work at a distance of 30 yards. He hadn't been paying attention to see if his mount had skillfully dodged it or not. With the dirt residing in the air he could not tell.

"Feer!" he managed to yell in a very subtle tone of concern. His voice carried acoustically through the air as the dust settled.

A distasteful whinny came from the dust in the air. It wasn't hurt. The apprentice let out a controlled sigh of relief. Now he was in for it. Ferine was not quiescent at this point. This is what made him shiver. Thunderous hoof beats vibrated in the clearing air from the angry beast, now ghoulishly closing ground upon Galen.

Ferine's unforgiving animation materialized out of the floating dust and spores that arose before him. He learnedly used the force telekinetically for his hard gate, matching Galen's dashing speed. The pendent on his breast collar lit up effulgently. Galen crouched where he was. The stallion predicted his next move and shied in his run. Now, the dark creature was flaring his nature to return Galen's favor for teaching him how to fly earlier.

"Not so fast!" the apprentice grunted, launching himself in the air over his mount. The guarlara reared in the air to meet his master with his horns. The young apprentice showily flipped himself backward, loosely about 6 feet from the long white weapons. He launched a shockwave of the force from his hands at his mount. Ferine, the great guarlara stallion, flew off of his feet and rolled over himself, backward.

The wave hacked through the dirt and showered the black stallion. The apprentice landed on the soft dirt, and then ran at his grounded companion. Ferine raised his head; slightly dazed from his wild flip he had gone through. He acknowledged that Galen was getting significantly stronger. The fear scent from the boy was heavy in his nostrils. He could not let the apprentice win.

"Ahhh!" The young apprentice dashed at the stallion that lay on the ground.

The guarlara picked his svelte body up. The lightning of hatred madly flowed up from his limps into his skull. He closed the space between him and the young apprentice, with the footing he could muster from his current position.

30 feet away…. a massive ball of electrical lightning projected itself from the stallion's upper body at Galen. The young man grunted heavily as it struck him, engulfed him, and sent him flying backwards. The frying, paralyzing pain of the electricity coursed through his body, leaving him immobile. He hit the soft dirt 60 yards away, rapidly rolling to a stop on his side just short of hitting another one of the yellowish green plants he had punctured for his mount earlier. The electrical ball still oppressed him. He cried out in pain. It subsided and dissolved. He was left simmering on the cool soil with his back turned to his approaching mount. The stallion dashed the last 50 feet at Galen balking behind him. He nuzzled him in the slightest bit of concern. Galen groaned and rolled onto his backside. He was met with his mount's hot breath in his face. He began to laugh in surprise.

"Ahh, Feer!" The apprentice laughed to abate the pain somewhat that he was feeling. He placed his hands over his face. "That was…unbelievable. You win this round." He grunted and painfully sat up.

His mount nickered victoriously, nuzzling his master. He pushed against him to help him to stand up. The young apprentice tried to stand, but dropped back down with a painful wince. "Okay, that was more powerful than I expected," he said folding his knees under him. He composed himself. He was very sore now. It was not a good idea to have encouraged the play fight with his mount, but with Ferine there was no declining in a play fight. The guarlara stallion could get pretty tenacious and persistent in the fight. A majority of the time it was very difficult to convince the animal to stop and end the fight,

This is what Galen had difficulty disciplining: the stallion's in borne desire to practically kill the opponent in his fights, even his own master that fed him and spent time with him. He didn't mean to, but it was instinctive so he control was close to impossible. Overpowering the stallion with wits and the force could only solve all of this. Ferine was programmed this way on purpose as a dark jedi mount. It couldn't really be disciplined at all no matter how hard Galen tried. Their relationship would always involve one trying to overpower the other, regularly. The feral stallion nipped fondly at the young apprentice while he sat recovering.

"Feer," the young apprentice warned his defying companion in an intolerable tone. The stallion was making full contact on his skin with his teeth and tusks on purpose. The force of the bite was enough to slightly distract the apprentice from his current actions. The stallion didn't hold the bite for very long before he pulled away and his head hovered somewhere else by Galen, inspecting him. The apprentice sighed in exasperation. The bites weren't as painful as they first were when he had first become associated with his mount, but they still inflicted throbbing pain that lasted even when the stallion's teeth had been withdrawn from his flesh. These were Ferine's versions of "love bites".

Love bites were regular also with him and his companion. Love bites from a dark jedi's animal companion were more severe than an animal that hadn't been perverted by sith alchemy. Galen received multiple bites at a time that annoyed him with their pain. The pain rippled out from the teeth marks in his arm, hand, neck, leg or anywhere else the stallion managed to grab him, usually accompanied by a flow of blood. The stallion was vulgar when biting. Galen had been bitten in the groin on more than one occasion. He only knew if any of the over confident stormtroopers crossed the stallion's pre-set offensive nature, they would either be broken or killed.

"Please, no more show and tell, Feer." Galen grunted, as he stood upright, seemingly in prime condition once more. "I'll have to show you what I can do some other time," he sighed walking out into the vast landscape. He clicked his tongue and his mount trotted up beside him on his right. He lightly mounted the steed, gathering the reins. Ferine broke into a swift gallop into the colorful forest of Felucia's giant mushrooms and fungi plants. The stallion seemed to be indifferent to the energy he had mustered to create the lightning ball of hell that had engulfed his rider entirely. Galen had conditioned his mount for prolonged activity on the battlefield. Frankly, he was still sore and stiff from the shock he had received, but he didn't have time to linger now. If his suspicions were right, he could find some evidence that there was a Jedi somewhere on this planet.


	5. Chapter 5

The young apprentice sent his mount barreling down a long embankment that fell in between two great rising walls. The guarlara stallion controlled his speed skillfully, skipping down, yet not sliding on the soft soil. His long tail glided behind him. Colorful spores floated around him. He leaped the last 8 feet to the ground below and expired into a slow canter around a bend as Galen guided him. They emerged into a narrow passage filled with rock formations that contained fungal stairs coming out of their surfaces. The stairs were all around them as the young apprentice brought his mount to a slow walk. They were aglow with blues, pinks, greens, and purples. The passage was a great canyon from the look of it. The apprentice directed his attention to the ground beneath them. He saw the fine definition of stormtrooper trooper boot prints in the soil. Many of them. They were fairly fresh.

Ferine snorted offensively, shying in his gait.

"Whoa," the apprentice demurely spoke. "What is it?" he asked quietly looking at his mount's head.

The guarlara stallion began to back up with a harsh nicker. He tossed his head up and down violently with implying whinnies. The apprentice glanced up to see a native Felucian warrior crouching on a towering rock formation to his right, spying down on him. It released a threatening growl at him wading back and forth slightly as it did so. The young man reached into the air with his right hand and seized the native with the force. His fingers were in a grasping formation even though he grasped nothing physically with his hands. He ripped the warrior from its prying perch, throwing it forcefully to the ground 30 feet before him. The warrior groaned, blindly rising to his feet.

A lightsaber's shearing hum pierced the air of the passage as it awakened. A heavy snort accompanied it. The warrior came to his senses as a four-legged beast closed distance between him, bearing the wielder of a red lightsaber. A screeching buzz echoed off of the walls. The warrior's body lifelessly wilted to the soft soil. His head flew off and ricocheted off a nearby mushroom stalk where it lay to rest.

The guarlara stallion skipped to a stop and turned sideways as his rider looked upon his dead victim. Galen observed the Felucian warrior's profile. The warrior's face was not the same profile that he had seen in his original visit. It was ghostly, deformed, elongated, and wicked looking. The dark side greedily sought out everything on this planet to corrupt. It would not be satisfied at all. Galen dared to think for a second about his current position.

Was this the essence of where he dwelt? He dismissed the thoughts, feeling anxious. He scanned the walls above for any more disturbances. He sensed no threats at all. He wondered why he hadn't picked up on the warrior's presence before his mount had. He knew why, but then at the same time he wondered why he hadn't improved in this particular area himself. He could tell when something was not right in the force and defend himself, but Ferine was good at sensing disturbances at long distances. Perhaps he was distracted. Yes, maybe that was why he hadn't seen the warrior beforehand. However, he could sense the suffering and oppression the creatures bearing the force were experiencing. He unconsciously sighed in sorrow for them without realizing it.

Ferine had progressed abundantly in his sensitivity to the force. He was very intelligent, perhaps too intelligent at times for Galen's convenience. Until now he hadn't realized how powerful the stallion was. Their very last major mission ended almost in his termination.

The stallion was at his lowest point physically and spiritually with his injuries. His pride had been greatly wounded. He had failed his master. Galen had never seen such dejection in the stallion's mood. That lowest point seemed to be a breakthrough for the stallion's unique potential. Vader had helped with its awakening by cruelly mistreating the beast. Ferine had come out of his depression and attacked Vader in a rage, vengefully, sorrowfully, hatefully, for his failure. He wasn't expecting Galen to leap in front of him with such speed. He involuntarily punctured the young apprentice with his horns. It could have been a deeper wound had the stallion not pushed his pain stricken body to the limit and come to a slow before, then.

Now, the young apprentice seemed dreadful of the horns upon his mount's skull. They reminded him of that instance. He forgave his companion for it, but he dreaded ever mistreating his attendant and fellow friend to be turned on. For him there was no one that he believed anymore that would throw himself or herself in the creature's way to save him. All the while he expected death in some way, shape, or form just not because he treated one of his closest friends in bad faith.

Galen clicked his tongue, turning Ferine to his right, parallel with the passage's direction and continued on. The stallion obeyed Galen's knees pressing against his sides. He broke into a lope. His shallow chin lightly touched his breast.

At the end of the passage was an arched doorway that went down another hill. In curiosity, the young apprentice clicked his tongue, tapping the stallion's sides with his boots sternly. The stallion's nostrils flared in exhilaration. His body lurched forward at full pelt. The apprentice had to squint to keep the floating spores from colliding with his eyes. Ferine opened wide in his gallop once Galen put himself in a position to get more speed. He hunched himself over in the saddle, shortening the reins in his hands, running them up against the stallion's muscular, thick, short, black neck. Ferine ran hard, breathing heavily. His neck stretched out as he ran at his peak, dangerously gaining footing on the arched doorway.

A high pitched beeping trill echoed off the walls of the passage and a yellow laser lined itself up with Ferine's forehead coming from straight ahead. Ferine was very tempted to balk for he knew what the sound came from. It was dangerous to keep going but Galen had not told him otherwise so he kept his current speed.

The young apprentice saw the fine yellow line that threatened to penetrate into his mount's skull. He rose up suddenly in his stirrups, plucking his feet from them by hopping up. He placed them together as he balanced on his saddle. He sought out the source of the Yellow beam remaining hunched down.

100 feet….

"Feer, time for show and tell again!" the stallion's rider announced as he sternly focused on the source of the yellow light that spawned more from around it. The young apprentice growled hatefully of the fine yellow line that multiplied into 5 more, honing in now on him.

70 feet…

The stallion tossed his head. Lightning rippled up his forelegs and pulsated through his powerful breast, neck, and skull. The red crystal pendant against the stallion's breast and the rings that connected the saddle, bridle, and other leatherwork released an effulgent light. The young apprentice stood erect, balancing skillfully on his saddle. He stretched out his arms and hands, clutching the archway with the force. The stallion threw down his head as force lightning bounced in between his long white horns, charging. The stallion was quite a sight for any one who was unfortunate enough to witness his learned abilities in the force. His tack was aglow with red light from the Qixion crystals and his dark body flickered with arcs of lightning. He was beautifully deadly.

The apprentice grunted, clenching his fists sharply. The arched doorway of rock suddenly broke as a crack violently formed and spider webbed throughout its formation. Cries from many stormtroopers sheared the moist air and the yellow lines waved madly about in the air as the rocks struck the soft earth, cutting off their bright lights.

40 feet….

"Up!" the apprentice commanded the heated mount in a hard tone and the stallion obeyed, throwing his head up.

The lightning ball of hell was manifested into the air where the apprentice used the force to launch it sharply at a stormtrooper airship that had floated out from behind a giant mushroom towering above and beyond the arched door way. As if fired from a rocket, it spliced through the air at the airship with unimaginable speed. A sharp crackle disturbed the peace as it struck the ship causing it to explode immediately on contact. The ship's flaming metal body drooped in its flight, falling into the stalk of the giant purple toadstool. The stalk was set a flame as the ship slid down against it, disappearing behind the passage wall. It confirmed its destruction with a second explosion once it struck solid soil.

The young apprentice leaped from his mounts back as the stallion sailed over the remains of the destroyed archway. He somersaulted through the air to gaze upon how steep the hill actually was. Rocks slipped from the remains and tumbled down the hill. It was a very long decline. Ferine landed on the dry soil and skipped to gain footing upon so. The young apprentice timed himself and landed back in his saddle without the consequences of gravity causing him harm. He placed his feet in his stirrups using the force to place the reins into his hands. He guided his mount down the hill.


	6. Chapter 6

"Commander, we've mysteriously lost an airship filled with soldiers to neutralize the native villages. Its crash site is unknown. Their radio link just went dead with static. In addition, our squads guarding the entrance to the large hill have been wiped out by the archway itself," reported a rookie stormtrooper to his commander.

Galen crouched outside of the open doors to the supply garage. It was located in the depths of a canyon-like enclosure. He had now found the base of the imperials, but he was not picking up any more signs of a jedi. He was so sure before and after he had killed Shaak Tii that he sensed another, but now he could not find anything. He would have found them by now through the force. His faith and theirs were complete opposites and easily detectable by the other. He sought Shaak Tii's pure force presence with the force. Otherwise he wouldn't have found her right off the bat.

The two stormtroopers in the garage doorway continued to converse briefly before the rookie departed to the outside with his rifle against his chest. Galen watched him stealthily and safely atop the garage, kneeling. They did not know he was here. That was good. He moved closer to the edge, furtively dropping to the ground.

"You believe that the Felucian warriors are responsible for the attacks," he said in a low, soft tone, slightly waving his right hand in the process.

"I believe that the Felucian warriors are responsible for the attacks," the stormtrooper repeated freely, unable to resist the simple mind trick. He came to a stop, standing still.

"The Felucian warriors are planning an all-out war with the empire. You need to gather all of your troops and head out of the canyon right now."

"We need to gather all of our troops and head out of the canyon right now," the stormtrooper repeated, believing what he heard to be his own revelation. He whipped around. Galen darted backward into the darkness, flattening himself against the wall as the stormtrooper ran back into the garage and repeated, word for word, the revelation that he believed he had.

The young apprentice softly smirked, before he snuck away and an alarm wailed around the base. The many stormtroopers inside it gathered outside in stern formation. Nearly the entire course of the canyon was filled with stormtroopers from side to side.

"The hill is blocked! Head through the remainder of the canyon, into the swamp! We will send airships to transport the soldiers to the Felucian villages!" boomed a voice on the intercoms of the base.

Galen briskly climbed up a steep wall of the canyon far ahead of the frontline of stormtroopers. Once over the top he got down low and moved quickly to a good hiding place. A soft whinny came from behind him as he squatted behind a toadstool's dead stump. He felt warm breath on the back of his neck as his mount climbed up from where he had been told to stay. It was not an easy task for the guarlara stallion to climb up the wall so Galen had to dismount the stallion and give him commands while he remained on the ground. The guarlara was built for sure footed climbing so the young apprentice could leave the animal to himself.

"Stay down, Feer," the young man said softly as the rhythmic march of the stormtrooper's feet bounced off the walls of the canyon as they headed to the swamp. The young apprentice studied his surroundings. Right where he was at was the deepest dip in the canyon. The stormtroopers would have to slightly descend by about five feet then come back up again very gradually while passing his position. It couldn't be a more convenient set up, for a great green toadstool reined over his position across the canyon from him. The canyon was 150 feet wide and 200 feet long. The walls of the canyon towered over the stormtroopers surpassing 100 feet. The guarlara obediently lowered himself down slightly beside and behind Galen's left side. The stormtroopers marched briskly to this dip in the canyon floor.

Ferine rested on his belly, curiously watching his master back away from his cover and stand. The young apprentice took in a deep breath, reaching out with his tense hands towards the great toadstool that towered above the canyon opposite of him. He curled his fingers slightly as he reached out with the force to grab it. The first 4 lines of the mass of stormtroopers passed through the dip. Galen's face tensed as he strained to up root the great stalk of the toadstool. Now the 7th line of stormtroopers passed below him. Galen began to growl as he tried harder. It was quite a distance away and the stalk was massive. The stalk had the circumference of the trees on the planet Kayshyyk on and in which the wookies built their homes. Galen was trying to be quiet, but it was hindering his potential. He put his left leg back slightly using all of his focus to uproot the great stalk. The toadstool slightly fell short of the width of the canyon in height. Galen was aware that when he pulled it from its security in the soft soil he would have to swiftly calculate its range of fall for it could take out his position.

A low loud groan acoustically reached Galen's side of the canyon. The stormtroopers below him slightly slowed their march to glance over at the large mushroom that began to groan louder, accompanied by snapping sounds. The roots of the stalk began to sharply tear out of the soft soil. The wall that supported the great stalk began to crumble. The young apprentice grunted heavily as he stepped back slowly from his current position. The toadstool lurched forward suddenly and the wall under it collapsed. Large boulders fell from the top of the wall, cascading down on the stormtrooper march killing stormtroopers instantly. The disciplined stormtroopers began to panic. Galen grunted with great effort throwing his hands over and back to his left. The remaining roots of the stalk violently ripped out of the ground and the toadstool sailed down on top of the frightened stormtroopers.

"What's going on?"

"Ahhh!"

"We're under attack!"

Galen paused for a second then threw his hands back up. The toadstool head of the mushroom came to slow in the air as the stalk hit the canyon floor. Dirt shot up from the ground from the impact. Galen maneuvered it towards the back of the stormtrooper march throwing it down on top of the lines they marched in. A great wall of dirt rose from the impact. The apprentice looked to his left and raised his left hand, curling his fingers. He clenched his left fist throwing his left hand forward. The 100-foot wall 35 feet over beside him crumbled and shot out on top of the stormtrooper army that had managed to avoid the toadstool. He did the same with his right hand, showering the stormtroopers ahead of his position with the walls of rocks and mushrooms. He then knelt slightly raising both of his hands. The ground shook as the force stirred and imploded the canyon walls, except for Galen's location. The whole canyon collapsed in on itself, burying the entire stormtrooper army under mountains of rock and soil. Their cries and the thunder of falling rock echoed for quite some time.

Ferine picked himself up quickly in slight alarm to the ground shaking, but stood where he was skeptically, watching his master slowly rise up and overlook all that he had destroyed. Dust arose from the collapsed canyon and rocks still fell from above. Galen now had to go back to the base and make sure no one had stayed behind. No survivors were to be left alive. Ferine nickered eagerly to his master, pawing the soil. The young apprentice slowly turned away from the edge and walked past his mount, hopping down the remaining remnants of his wall. The stallion followed after him swiftly.


	7. Chapter 7

The apprentice scouted the ghost town of a base that was hauntingly quiet. A low, rhythmic hum came from behind one of the buildings he was approaching. He drew his light saber and snuck up to the edge of the building slowly. Ferine curiously stayed where he was. He knew better than to follow right at the young man's heels for he could get in the way and cause a problem. Galen peered around the side of the building to see a strange looking droid hovering in the air. It seemed to be stationary. It was round like a sphere, but had all sorts of strange extensions and arms coming from its round shell. Red circular eyes covered its surface.

Galen silently walked up to it. He was trying to predict what its function might be if it were to find out he was there. Before it had time to react he cut it in two and it dropped out of the air to the ground where it simmered, its breathing hum expiring. Ferine let out a pain stricken squeal and the apprentice was back out in the open in an instant to witness another droid of the same make-up cruelly shocking his companion in the hindquarters. Instead of fighting back his mount fled to him. Galen was cynical at his mount's behavior.

"Feer! What are you doing? Get over there and fight it!" the young man hissed at his mount that paced behind him.

The stallion insistently grunted at his rider who rolled his eyes in disbelief. "No! I am not going to do it! I already destroyed one back there! Get up here and electrocute it! How painful is the shock? Is it that bad?" he inquired of his formerly fearless mount.

The guarlara crossly nickered at his rider, snorting in vexation at his unwillingness to destroy the strange machine that had harmed him. Didn't he care…at all? Of course this wasn't the guarlara's usual behavior at all. This was a very rare occurrence if anything. The stallion whinnied in aggravation, rearing in the air. The young apprentice deactivated his light saber and glanced over his shoulder.

"No!" he softly disclosed to his mount, circling around to him. With a soft grunt Galen propelled himself up onto the roof of the abandoned building his mount agitatedly paced before. He folded his arms with an expectant stance towards his mount.

Ferine whinnied shrilly with slight hurt, whipping around to his master. His light blue eyes were filled with confusion as he drew up his head at Galen. A harsh snort escaped his nostrils before he circled away. He galloped savagely at the strange droid, which had caused him this trouble. The droid was very sluggish and slow in movement. The stallion threw down his head, threatening the droid with his murderous horns. The droid extended a stick-like arm just as the beast thundered up to it, shocking the guarlara's upper body. The stallion squealed in pain, balking before it. He threw his head around madly, unable to move away. The shock was enough to even immobilize the great animal.

Galen studied his mount very soberly. He was very concerned with this new behavior from him. It was not typical of his stallion's being to act this way unless something was very wrong. The young apprentice gave his mount more time to snap out of his predicament.

Ferine's forelegs began to pulsate with electricity. He adapted to this unforeseen problem. He began to regain control of his limbs and finally, his upper body. The droid unintelligibly continued to shock the stallion even though it had no more affect.

"He's absorbing it," Galen murmured gently under his breath, receiving the revelation of the stallion's sudden fear.

The stallion lurched forward without warning, prodding the droid with his horns. The droid sailed backward beeping in alarm and surprise at its sudden change in balance. The guarlara chased after it heavily. He caught up with it and threw up his head. The droid screamed in alarm as it flew high into the air. The young apprentice giggled slightly finding this sight humorous. It was as if Ferine was playing with a ball. The stallion's new found confidence manifested into play. He had learned something new. This was his way of celebrating it.

Galen realized he hadn't really taught his mount how to counter a painful shock. He had trained the stallion to become fairly insensitive to it so it did not become a distraction for him or his mount. He did this by electrocuting his mount with force lightning repeatedly at reasonable intervals during sparring sessions. He only opened up on the stallion so much as not to paralyze him or damage him in anyway. Disciplining him became a swift problem after he began this training. He shocked the mount more severely for bad behavior. It's worked so far. The stallion was very smart and loyal to him. He couldn't figure out why the beast was so sensitive to the droid's shock that was limited unlike his.

The droid dropped out of the air with little control over its gravitational setting. It struck the earth and bounced up again, fluttering in its hover. It beeped furiously as it tried to calculate what had just happened. Ferine grunted, running at the droid. It extended its long sticky arm to shock him. The stallion veered away from the droid, bucking at it as he darted away. Lightning hissed as it exited the stallion's hind feet and consumed the droid's being upon contact. The droid malfunctioned briefly before it fell into the soil, all of its lights and beeps receding into silence and darkness. The stallion looked over his shoulder at the droid in a content manner. He snorted with satisfaction, rearing halfheartedly with joy when he heard Galen hop down from the rooftop he had been observing him from.

"Great job, Feer. I knew you could do it," came Galen's friendly and acceding tone. The young apprentice was stopped in his tracks by his companion's long face that prodded his upper body to be petted. Galen fulfilled the stallion's request, patting and rubbing the stallion's face and neck proudly. He expected to be bit or butted resentfully by the stallion for his lack of support, but the stallion only nuzzled him and nickered. He couldn't trust the stallion's timing. He had it coming even if it wasn't now. He hated when Ferine withheld his returned favors. He wanted to be bit and have it over with. Now he would have to watch his back and not turn it for too long on the stallion.

"C'mon, Feer, let's make sure there's no one else here," the apprentice said.


	8. Chapter 8

Galen sat upon his mount's backside, rocking his body with the stallion's gate. The guarala walked across a desolate valley. His long furred tail was slightly elevated with a kink to keep it from dragging in the filth of the soil. The valley seemed to have been cleared at some point. Many old stumps from mushrooms still broke the surface. The apprentice relaxed for a few minutes, giving his mount the bit.

"Juno, I'm going to turn in now."

"Did you not confirm your suspicions?" came her reply.

The apprentice patted his mount's neck. "No."

"Copy that. I see your signal. I'll be there shortly to pick up you and Ferine."

The young man sighed in displeasure. He was hoping to have found the source of his suspicions, but he had not. His hands were yanked to his right. His mount took the bit and broke into a canter.

"Feer, where do you think you're going?" the apprentice inquired, pulling back on the stallions head. The stallion skipped to a stop and resisted his hands. So, the apprentice pulled back more sternly on the reins.

The stallion nickered in anger as his head was twisted to his left.

"Feer! Feer, don't do this! What is your problem? Feer!"

Galen fought against the stallion's powerful, short neck briefly before the stallion balefully threw himself to the floor on his right side. The apprentice groaned, heavily.

"Feer!" he shrieked in agony. "This is very uncouth! Get off of me, now!" He was completely immobile and his left leg was being crushed by the stallion's rib cage. He withdrew his free foot from his stirrup.

His mount pushed his luck and did not respond. Galen growled, shocking the stallion rather severely. The animal was up in an instant with a squeal of pain. Galenn withdrew his occupied foot from the stirrup in this instance and remained on the ground in severe pain. His mount circled. His flesh steamed slightly from the electrocuting shock. Galen rolled over on his back before he sat up. He breathed heavily, watching his stallion nicker teasingly. The steed pawed the earth, daring the apprentice to discipline him further. The apprentice tried to stand, but wilted back down to the ground on his backside.

"I should have seen this coming! I knew I couldn't trust you!" he spat in resentment.

The stallion snorted, darting away. He broke into a fast gallop to put distance between him and his master. He rapidly approached a spiked mound that was located near a massive rib cage, buried in the soil. He balked before it, studying it, intelligently. His head was dipped where his nostrils flared to aquire the scent of this object. The mound, with its protruding white spikes coming from its surface remained still. The stallion whinnied, cautiously stepping up to it. He constantly inhaled and blew out of his nose to process the scent. His soft muzzle touched one of the spikes. The mound shifted sharply in response. The stallion snorted in fear, jerking back. He batted at the now living mound to recognize it had antennae and a head. It slithered away from him. He neighed at it, warningly. He pricked his ears in satisfaction, watching the slug move away. He had suspected it to be an animal, but he hadn't ever seen it move. He had to investigate. He was just curious by nature. Also, he could have been entertained himself with a fight with this creature, but it was not that type.

"Is everything all right? I don't see Ferine...are you hurt?" came Juno's voice.

The young man was in a kneeling position now. He forced himself to stand. "No!" he snarled. "Ferine decided to wander off. So I tried to chastise him for it and...he purposefully rolled over on top of me," the dark jedi spoke in pausing segments.

"Oh! You don't sound too good. I'm closing in on your position. I'll send proxy out to help you find the stallion."

Galen nodded with a heavy sigh. He drew his light saber, igniting its red blade behind him. He briskly set off in the direction the stallion had cantered off to. He wasn't surprised at the stallion's take of opportunity to get revenge. He was surprised at the stallion's unusual spark of audacity to do so much as crush him. He expected things like this, but the stallion had never done such a defying gesture against him. Regardless, he had to discipline the animal with a heavy hand.

Ferine trotted after the slow slug as it blindly navigated his way about the barren land. He circled in a bullying manner, nipping, biting, and shocking it with his forefeet. The creature groaned, trying to avoid the stallion's feet it felt through the ground. As he took another revolution around the giant beast he was seized off his clawed feet and flung away from it. He whinnied in surprise as he rolled across the ground, rapidly. Once he came to a stop he was quick to pick himself up.

"Ferine!" snarled his master.

The stallion blew out of his nose in slight dread at the tone he heard. He pinpointed the apprentice's rapid approach. He sighted the light saber behind his body and stepped away.

"No!" the young man bellowed, grabbing the animal with the force.

The stallion struggled a while against it, rearing in the air. Galen slightly curled the fingers of left hand. Ferine squealed in broken audio before he was shoved back onto his haunches as the force acridly oppressed his body. He drew back his ears as his master halted before him, slapping him across his muzzle. The red light saber remained behind the young man's back as he glared at the stallion.

"Don't you ever do anything like that again! Do you hear me?" Galen raved.

The stallion learnedly dipped his head, resistively shaking it afterward in pain. The red light saber receded back into its hilt and the young man lowered his left arm, relaxing his hand. His mount picked himself up, standing docilely. HIs ears unsurely remained flattened against his head.

"Master!"

The stallion lowered his head in a humble manner as his rider turned to see his droid walking towards him. The Rogue Shadow sat casually on the soil. He witnessed Galen replace his light saber back on his belt.

"C'mon," Galen said in a warmer tone and the stallion followed, contemplating his punishment.

It was the light saber he dreaded more than anything. The apprentice hadn't used it against him in any way like Vader did with a light whip. His muzzle prodded the young man in apology. He knew Galen wouldn't like his stunt, but he didn't know exactly how bad it would hurt him. He just knew it would to a degree. Enough to let him conclude his investigation that he desired to conclude. The apprentice never got raving mad unless something hurt him terribly either emotionally or physically. The stallion noted this reaction from his rider

His muzzle was met with a cuffed hand by the apprentice as they approached the ship. The stallion fondly blew into the hand, heating it with his warm breath. This incident, however, did not mean that he would do it again.


End file.
